Chirality of lipids makes fluid lamellar phases piezoelectric

摘要: The role of chirality in membrane-forming lipids is not well appreciated at present. Here we demonstrate that the phospholipids makes fluid lipid bilayers piezoelectric. Thus, chiral would play a central functioning cell membranes as active mechanotransducers. By periodically shearing and compressing nonaqueous lamellar phases left ($L\text{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{\alpha}$-phosphatidylcholine), right (D-$\ensuremath{\alpha}$-phosphatidylcholine), racemic (DL-$\ensuremath{\alpha}$-phosphatidylcholine) lipids, induced tilt molecules with respect to bilayer's normal produced electric current perpendicular plane, only. This effect due $\mathrm{Sm}\text{\ensuremath{-}}{A}^{*}$ phase liquid crystal structure bilayers, which under molecular becomes ferroelectric $\mathrm{Sm}\text{\ensuremath{-}}{C}^{*}$ phase, where polarization plane. coupling allows for wide variety sensory possibilities such mechanoreception, magnetosensitivity, in-plane proton membrane transport related phenomena adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis, soft machine performance, etc.